Abstract:

Background:
Malaria continues to be a major health burden worldwide. In Ghana,
Over-the-Counter (OTC) medicine sellers and community pharmacies are known
private medicine outlets patients access for malaria treatment. The aim of this
study was to assess the knowledge and practice on malaria control among OTC
medicine sellers in the Pru, Sene West and East and Atebubu-Amantin districts
in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. Method: A cross-sectional
descriptive study was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Sixty-two
(62) OTC medicine sellers were randomly selected, informed consent sought and
interviewed on malaria transmission, symptoms, prevention, diagnosis and
treatment, antimalarial medicine stock and malaria training participated in. Data
entry, editing and analysis were done using SPSS. Results: The study
revealed a high knowledge on malaria transmission vector, symptoms and
prevention with 63% of the OTC medicine sellers have participated in at least
one malaria training organized either by the Pharmacy council and/or partners
within the past two years. Only 26.2% of OTC medicine sellers use the malaria
rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kit to diagnosis and confirm suspected malaria.
Majority (65.6%) of OTC medicine sellers often recommend Artemether
Lumefantrine (AL) to patients to treat uncomplicated malaria, with between 26%
to 43.5% of them haven herbal preparations, sulphadoxine pyrimethamine (SP),
monotherapies (only artesunate, or only amodiaquine or only artemether or only
lumefantrine) and quinine as the alternative antimalarial medicines at the
shop. Most OTC medicine sellers do not comply with the national antimalarial
drug treatment guidelines. There was a significant difference (p<0.05)
between the malaria management knowledge and skills of a trained OTC medicine
seller and a non trained one. Conclusion: Trained OTC medicine sellers
have better malaria management knowledge and skills than the non -trained ones.
Recommendation: Periodic malaria training of all OTC medicine sellers
which focuses on effective diagnosis and treatment would significantly improve
the knowledge and the skills in malaria management and control among OTC
medicine sellers at the community level.